Uncertainty surrounds property tax proposals.
Florida’s 2026 legislative session kicked off yesterday, and there’s still uncertainty about WHAT property tax initiative lawmakers will put on the ballot. WFSU’s Tristan Wood reports from Florida’s capitol.
During his State of the State address, Governor Ron DeSantis spoke in favor of a potential ballot initiative eliminating property taxes for Florida homeowners.
“You should be able to own your home without paying perpetual rent to the government.”
But he and Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez are in conflict on who will steer the ship on the final proposal. The House has drafted several already, but the Governor has floated the idea of a special session to write the ballot language. Perez addressed that uncertainty with the media.
“Whether it's a portion of what the House has proposed, all of what the House has proposed, or none of what the House has proposed, is still out for debate.”
Whatever final package emerges, sixty percent of Florida voters will need to approve it in next fall’s election for it to take effect.
Rollout of NASA SLS rocket set for Saturday.
NASA’s giant SLS rocket is scheduled to exit the Vehicle Assembly Building at KSC this Saturday and roll to the launch pad. The trip on the crawler-transporter typically takes 10-12 hours at about a mile an hour. And since the launch pad is located just 1 1/2 miles from Playalinda beach, Canaveral National Seashore officials have already reduced operating hours for the rest of January. And then the beaches will close to the public starting Jan. 31 for safety-security reasons. The Artemis II launch is scheduled for no earlier than February 6th. Playalinda will resume normal operating hours (6:00 a.m.- 6:00 p.m.) the day after a successful launch.
Isaacman tours KSC.
The newly confirmed NASA Administrator, Jared Isaacman, toured Kennedy Space Center yesterday. He met with employees, bought them coffee and donuts, and collected feedback. And he shared with Florida Today the chances of NASA headquarters moving to Florida. Probably not, said Isaacman.
Brevard has a new state road.
The Florida Department of Transportation has unveiled the signs for a new state road in Brevard. SR 321 is near Kennedy Space Center. The road is also known as Space Commerce Way, which was recently widened from two lanes to four lanes. 321 connects State Road 405, NASA Causeway, and State Road 3, N. Courtney Parkway.
Brevard sets record for graduation rate.
Brevard Public Schools has set a new record for high school graduation rates. WFIT’s Terri Wright shares the results.
Data from the Florida Department of Education shows 92.7 percent of Brevard students in the Class of 2025 graduated on time — the highest rate in district history. The figure tops last year’s 89.8 percent and exceeds the state’s new record average of 92.2 percent.
Several schools posted notable gains, led by Brevard Virtual School with a 12.2 percent increase, followed by Bayside High School at 10.1 percent.
West Shore Jr./Sr. High School and Edgewood Jr./Sr. High School again achieved perfect 100 percent graduation rates, while Merritt Island, Satellite, and Viera high schools each reported rates above 98 percent.
